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Nathaniel Rooney
Nathaniel John Rooney is an American actor, television presenter, and model. He is best known for starring as Eric Rudolph in The WB teen drama series Lost and Thoughtless for six seasons. Rooney began his acting career after moving to Los Angeles, California following his high school graduation. He worked as a model to support himself, while simultaneously auditioning for small roles in commercials and television series, until being cast in Lost and Thoughtless. Rooney starred in the series for six seasons until the series finale. Afterwards, his acting career stalled, and he became known as a television personality. Rooney competed in the celebrity reality shows Dancing with the Stars and The Celebrity Apprentice, and hosted awards shows such as the Golden Globe Awards. Early life Rooney was born in Bossier City, Louisiana to parents John and Elizabeth "Beth" Rooney (née Meadows). His father worked as an electrician, while his mother was an elementary school teacher. Rooney has stated that he was raised in "a working-class Southern Baptist family". Rooney is the youngest of four children; his elder siblings include brothers John "Johnny" and Elijah, and sister Michaela. Rooney attended public schooling in Bossier City, attending Airline High School where he was active in the school's drama department and also played varsity baseball. After graduating from high school, Rooney moved to Los Angeles, California to begin a career in the entertainment industry. Career After moving to Los Angeles, Rooney signed to a small modeling agency and began modeling professionally. He saw modeling as an adequate form of steady income until he was able to begin making a career out of his acting. Rooney worked primarily in print campaigns, but also walked in Los Angeles Fashion Week twice. While modeling, Rooney auditioned for parts in small roles such as in commercials and television series. After two years of modeling, Rooney was cast as Eric Rudolph in The WB teen drama series Lost and Thoughtless. His first major role, Lost and Thoughtless went on to become a hit series amongst teenage girls internationally, and Rooney was made a teen idol and heart throb. He won several Teen Choice Awards for his appearance in the series. After six seasons, the series aired its series finale, and the show went off the air. After Lost and Thoughtless, Rooney struggled with transitioning to a more mature film career outside of work for teenagers. He appeared in the NBC sitcom Nasty, which was canceled after only one season. Rooney was later cast in Dancing with the Stars, which reinvigorated his career. He went on to win the season, and his subsequent popularity led him to be cast on The Celebrity Apprentice two years later, where he placed fifth. Rooney transitioned primarily to television presenting in the subsequent years, hosting the Golden Globe Awards for two consecutive years. Rooney later signed a contract with NBC to sign on as host of the Miss USA competition for its first five editions. Personal life Rooney is married to English model and actress Veronica Tufts. They have two children together: Jason and Leah. The family resides in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, and also own a home in London, England. Rooney is a practicing Christian who belongs to a Baptist church, and has stated that his belief in God is very important to him. Filmography Main article: Nathaniel Rooney filmography. Category:American male models Category:American Southern Baptists Category:American television actors Category:American television presenters Category:Dancing with the Stars winners Category:Living people Category:Miss USA presenters Category:People from Bossier City, Louisiana Category:Teen Choice Award recipients Category:The Celebrity Apprentice contestants